Town hall honours ‘driving force’ of five-a-side football in Torremolinos
A ceremony was held on Monday at the municipal sports courts, which were officially named Pista Deportiva Francisco Castillo, in recognition of the local confectioner's lifetime dedicated to sport
Torremolinos has paid tribute to Francisco Castillo in recognition of his decades-long contribution to the promotion and development of futsal, a game based on the rules of association football that shares similarities with five-a-side. A ceremony was held on Monday at the municipal sports courts, which were officially named Pista Deportiva Francisco Castillo, in recognition of a lifetime dedicated to sport.
During the act, the town’s mayor, Margarita del Cid, praised Castillo because he “continues to be an example of dedication, especially to the youngest among us”.
“Torremolinos thanks you for your commitment and devotion to sport. You even went so far as to pay out of your own pocket for kits, transport and even sandwiches. You were the driving force and the seed that made Fútbol Sala Torremolinos a reality,” the mayor said.
During the event — attended by family and friends — Del Cid also highlighted Castillo’s professional career in confectionery. He was the owner of Pastelería Castillo, an iconic local bakery that served the town for nearly 50 years.
“Your bond with the town goes far beyond sport. It is also part of your professional life, as you sweetened our days with your work and your passion for baking until your retirement,” she added.
The ceremony concluded with a futsal match played as a tribute by the youth teams of Playas de Torremolinos, Fútbol Sala Torremolinos and Torroles F.S.
Castillo began his involvement in indoor futsal with a group of friends under the team name El Gañoteo. In 1982, he founded Pastelería Castillo Fútbol Sala, a historic club in the municipality and the origin of today’s Fútbol Sala Torremolinos.
In addition to his personal and financial dedication in promoting the sport, Castillo’s efforts helped to develop talented players such as Ricardo Jiménez, who was named ‘best goalkeeper’ in the national futsal league in 1998 with El Pozo Murcia, and later was part of the triumphant Spanish national team at the 2000 World Cup in Guatemala.
